CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

Celebrating Caribbean Contributions to American History, Life and Culture

In June 2005, the House of Representatives unanimously adopted H. Con. Res. 71, sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, recognizing the significance of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the United States. On February 14, 2006, the resolution similarly passed the Senate, culminating a two-year, bipartisan and bicameral effort. The Proclamation was issued by President George W. Bush on June 6, 2006.

National Caribbean American Heritage Month June 2024

May 31, 2024

During Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we celebrate the achievements and dreams of the millions of people of Caribbean origin now living in the United States while honoring the shared history of joy and perseverance that has united and enriched life across our region for centuries. There is no single Caribbean American identity. The mix of cultures, languages, and religions alive across the United States and the islands reflects the diversity of spirit that defines the American story. Meanwhile, our countries are bound by common values and a shared history — overcoming the yoke of colonialism, confronting the original sin of slavery, and charting new opportunities across borders and generations.

National Caribbean American Heritage Month 2024 Launch

MONTH OF ACTIVITIES

GOSPELFEST 2024

June 01

Book Bankra

Book List & Events

Featuring 30 Books written by Caribbean Authors

Tuesdays! June 4, 11, 18 & 25 – 7 PM EDT

Please view the book list below:

RESTAURANT WEEK

CHEF’S SELECT

MEET THE CHEF MONDAYS
JUNE 3, 10, 17, 24
7 PM EDT

DC CARIBBEAN FILM FESTIVAL

DC CARIBBEAN FILM FESTIVAL (Films)

JUNE 7-12

Visit AFI Siver Website

LEGISLATIVE WEEK

Domestic Agenda

JUNE 10 AND 11

CAPITOL HILL

JUNE 12 AND 13

IN-PERSON – Pre-Registration Required, Space is Limited

PVS AWARDS Reception

JUNE 13

Register for the event

JUNE 10-14

Domestic Agenda

JUNE 10-11

Elected officials to discuss education, health, security and crime in local US cities

Other topics include- immigration, census, NGOs and community economic development

CAPITOL HILL

JUNE 12th AND 13th

The opportunities for Diaspora and US thought-leaders to discuss foreign policy challenges and related issues facing the Caribbean and opportunities to address them.

IN-PERSON – Pre-Registration Required, Space is Limited

PVSA Reception

JUNE 13th

Pathways to Prosperity in the Era of Oil and Gas

IGNITE CARIBBEAN

JUNE 14

30 Under 30 Awards and Pitch

Juneteenth

JUNE 19

CULTURE WEEK

CULTURE

JUNE 19 AND 20

Carnival JabJab from Around the World

MSME BUSINESS

Micro Small & Medium Enterprise Conference

JUNE 26-28

HERITAGE TALK

CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE TALK

JUNE 29

Migratory Movements of Music: the Caribbean-American Experience

Happenings Around the Country

CELEBRATIONS

Our Vision

The vision of National Caribbean American Heritage Month (NCAHM) Program is to promote the recognition of the contributions of Caribbean immigrants to the United States of America from founding father Alexander Hamilton to US Secretary of State General Colin Powell and Hon. Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to run as candidate for the President of the United States of America.

Through the establishment of a network of Caribbean American Heritage Councils/Organizations around the country, Americans of all backgrounds and nationalities will join in the commemoration of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

Our Mission

ICS is dedicated to building bridges between Caribbean Americans and the US population at large and advocating for the wellbeing of the Caribbean American community.

The mission of the NCAHM Program is to create and disseminate knowledge about the contributions of Caribbean immigrants to America, and to be a crucible for a dialogue between Caribbean peoples and the American public.

Additionally, the NCAHM program is to ensure that Americans at large are advised of the many and great contributions of immigrants of Caribbean Heritage to the nation.

The overall mission of ICS is to serve as a catalyst to build an inclusive, prosperous, sustainable Caribbean society, and to provide our partners and stakeholders with solutions to the challenges they face, that will enable their survival, growth, and prosperity in the ever changing global marketplace, by providing world class analysis and action that supports their missions.

Partners

Working together for the Caribbean

CONTACT US

    A Proclamation on National Caribbean American Heritage Month June 2024

    May 31, 2024
    During National Caribbean American Heritage Month, we celebrate the contributions and the diverse cultures of the millions of people across our Nation with Caribbean heritage, who have never let us walk away from our Nation’s most sacred values of opportunity and freedom.

    Caribbean Americans are dreamers and doers, always finding ways to push our country forward, reach new heights, and forge a more perfect Union. From the Caribbean Americans who helped build our country from the ground up to those who have only just arrived, they have all believed in the possibilities our country has to offer and strengthened the diverse fabric of our Nation. Above all, Caribbean Americans are leaders — they are our beloved doctors, nurses, teachers, athletes, artists, community organizers, entrepreneurs, and our service members and first responders, who put their lives on the line to keep the rest of us safe. I am especially proud of the Caribbean Americans serving across my Administration and working hard to sustain our democracy — including Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

    My Administration recognizes that, to keep the torch of liberty that has led generations of immigrants to America burning bright, we must keep ensuring that everyone has a fair shot and access to opportunity. And we are delivering. My Administration has powered a historic economic recovery that created 15 million jobs, achieved the fastest creation rate of Black-owned businesses in more than 30 years, and broke records as Latino entrepreneurs have started new businesses at the fastest rate in over 10 years.

    Caribbean Americans also form the foundation of our country’s partnerships with nations across the Caribbean as we work to advance opportunity and security across the region. My Administration announced over $275 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands that will deliver clean and safe water, access to high-speed internet, public transit, and modern roads and bridges. We launched the Puerto Rico Economic Dialogue and made more than $140 billion in Federal obligations, which have driven the island’s economic turnaround. Since I came into office, Puerto Rico has added more than 100,000 new jobs and unemployment reached a historic low of under six percent. We are continuing to work with Caribbean countries to tackle climate change and support clean energy development. In partnership with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), we launched the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit to combat firearms trafficking. Last summer, my Administration appointed a Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions to lead our efforts to stem firearms trafficking in the Caribbean. Meanwhile, we have been working with CARICOM to restore stability and security in Haiti by facilitating meaningful and inclusive political dialogue and supporting the deployment of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission. We must complement our security investments with economic support. This is why my Administration supports the reauthorization of the HOPE/HELP trade preferences program in order to spur greater economic prosperity in Haiti.

    At the same time, we have been working since day one of my Administration to fix the broken immigration system so that it is safe, orderly, and humane — especially for those in the Caribbean community who are fleeing oppressive rule and trying to escape gang violence to ensure a better life for them and their families. We are working to expand lawful pathways to the United States for Caribbean individuals and establish a faster process for deciding claims of asylum for people who are credibly seeking protection from persecution. My Administration will continue to do everything we can, including calling on the Congress to finally act and pass critical resources and reforms.

    America was founded on the idea that all people are created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout their lives. That promise beats in the hearts of all Caribbean Americans, who have added new meaning to our Nation’s founding values. That idea is what connects us to all the Caribbean nations and territories working toward a future rooted in freedom and democracy. This month, may we celebrate all that Caribbean heritage, history, and contributions have meant to our Nation.

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2024 as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. I encourage all Americans to join in celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Caribbean Americans with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.

    JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    NCAHM LEGISLATIVE WEEK AGENDA FOR- WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 2024

    LOCATION:

    US CONGRESS RAYBURN HOUSE, 45 INDEPENDENCE AVE SW, ROOM 2075

    TIME:

    8:00 ROOM OPENS - Pre-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

    8:30 - SIGN IN AND LIGHT BREAKFAST

    NCAHM LEGISLATIVE WEEK- AGENDA FOR DAY JUNE THURSDAY 13, 2024

    LOCATION:

    TO BE DETERMINED - SENATE SIDE

    TIME:

    8:30AM -8:30AM Arrival location: TO BE DETERMINED SANATE SIDE 8:30 - 10:30 AGENDA- THURSDAY 13TH JUNE 2024 - SH216